Blacklight (Big Four)
by xxsweetestdownfall
Summary: In the Guardian world, a secret weapon is sold to the diabolical Pitch Black. He expected some sort of sword or potion, but much to his surprise, Mother Gothel sells him her golden-haired daughter. What does this mean for the guardians? Will they be able to defeat their old foe? Read on as his newfound power brings out something in him that no one saw coming.
1. Chapter 1

**Blacklight**

**Chapter 1**

Mother Gothel added the last drop to her newest concoction. She hoped, for Rapunzel's sake, that it would work. Ever since the little brat had escaped her, Gothel had been keeping a keen eye out for any more "Flynn Rider"s that might show up at her door. How broken the young girl had been as she watched him die- ah, well. So is life. It definitely made her job easier. She moved around in the tiny underground home she had found for them. It looked like it belonged to a mining family, but that was years ago, when ore was still available in the tiny nearby mountain. A soft moaning in the other room meant that the golden-haired child was up. She took the hazelnut soup off of the stove and poured it into two bowls.

"…mother?" Rapunzel called out softly.

"Coming, dear," Gothel cooed. She opened up the heavy wooden door that separated Rapunzel's room from the rest of the house. She went to great lengths to make sure that the child wouldn't be strong enough to push through.

"Ah, you've been using your hair again, haven't you?" Gothel asked.

"Yes, mother," Rapunzel said. It was the only way she was able to stay looking normal. She never saw sunlight, and without the healing powers of her hair scurvy would be the death of her. She was not aware, as Gothel was, that she could not die. Gothel planned to keep it that way.

"Well, whatever it takes to keep my little flower beautiful," she said. She set the tray with both bowls on the small table and pulled out her dagger. "Now hold still…"

Rapunzel winced as Gothel pricked her finger. She held her hand out and her blood dripped into the small vial her mother was holding. "Perfect," she said. "Now, eat your soup."

Rapunzel did so, and as she took the first few sips her hand began to glow. She stared in awe as the cut on her finger healed. "What…?"

"YES!" Gothel cried, and she watched in wonder as her daughter's hair began to glow on its own. To test her theory for good, she cut off a small lock. The hair continued to glow, and did not turn brown. After the glow wore off, Rapunzel's hair stayed blonde, as did the lock in Gothel's hand.

Rapunzel's eyes widened as she realized what her mother had done. The old woman sang to the lock of hair, and became young again. Rapunzel could not speak.

Pushing through the door and out above the ground where their tiny house was buried, she chanted an ancient spell. When she was done, she left a small flower at the hidden entrance and retreated back into the house to wait for nightfall.

Meanwhile, on the other side of the world, a dark figure with diabolical purpose inched closer to the giant globe in the center of his hideout. A small red dot appeared, and he smiled, revealing his jagged teeth. "Finally," he rasped, "the tables will soon be turned."

The dark horse beside him whinnied, and another put its head under his hand. He patted it, lost in thought. He wondered what the gift was that the woman was offering. She had promised that it would bring the destruction of the guardians, but refused to tell him what it was. Perhaps a weapon, like a dark sword. Or maybe even a potion, to make him stronger or poison his enemies. Either way, he was desperate to find out.

-break-

Elsa walked into the small sanctuary for the first time in a long time. She looked up at the stained glass painting of her family, and tears sprung to her eyes. Before she could speak, a voice sounded behind her.

"I miss them too."

She turned around and ran into her father's arms. "We all do," he continued in his thick Russian accent. "And that's okay."

"But surely there was something we could have done," the young princess cried.

"Don't torture yourself with these thoughts. There's nothing anyone could have done. Pitch was too strong."

"I was right there," she said, remembering that fateful day. "I saw him take Jack, and then mom. If only I had been stronger…"

"Jack was stronger than you, and he couldn't save himself," North continued. "If you continue to dwell on the past, it will consume you."

Elsa stepped back and looked up into her father's eyes. "You're right," she said calmly, "I let my emotions get in the way…"

"This happens to everyone. Best to embrace it when you can, and tuck it away for later when you can't."

The young princess allowed a small smile to settle on her face. He may be difficult to understand half the time, but he was her father, and no one spoke the truth like him. She gave one last look at the stained glass portrait and walked out of the building. Even when she was happy, she couldn't get the images out of her head. They haunted her at night, and they were always the same- she awoke to clatter, ran out of her room, and saw her father fiercely battling a nightmare. She ran into Jack's room, and he wasn't there. Then to her parent's room. Her older brother and mother were there, huddled in a corner. She ran to them, but it was too late. Jack pointed his staff at her and she was completely surrounded by thick, impenetrable ice. She saw him fight off the monsters until they took mother. Then he continued until they took him. She saw his face as he grabbed at the anything he could; saw his eyes as he looked up to her. They weren't the playful light blue she remembered. They were black, fearful black. Then Pitch's laugh, and then she awoke. Every time.

She looked around at the icy kingdom that she and her father ruled. It had been very quiet and peaceful lately. Her gaze drifted across snow banks and frozen lakes. She looked up towards the sky and saw billowing smoke in the distance. Their sister kingdom, Dun'Broch, was as opposite to Arandelle as possible. The castle in the center of the island was carved by the kings of old into a volcano. Merida, the fire princess, was as full of spirit as her father. The two had met only once, but that was all Elsa had needed. The red-head was definitely a fireball.

-break-

"But Ah don't _care_ about history!" Merida cried out.

Her mother shushed her and gave her a look. "The kingdom of Corona is very important. If we can learn from its downfalls, we can avoid our own."

"But the only reason et fell was because they went an' lost the heir," she remarked. "Without a ruler, it fell into shambles," she finished, her voice dull as the book she was reading from.

"We can still learn from them," her mother said. "But it will have to wait for tomorrow…"

Her voice drifted off, and Merida followed her gaze out the window. "Looks like the guests have arrived," she said.

"Yes," her mother replied. "Your father already has the fire show started."

Merida was out the door before her mother could say another word. She loved to watch the fire show, and had been working on her own. Whenever the Prince or Princess came of age, they had to perform a show of fire to prove their strength and worth in ruling the kingdom. She would surely impress her family with hers. She had worked on it for almost a year now. It was the only thing that would be exciting about that day, she thought to herself. She imagined all the princes coming in from far-away lands to compete against each other and woo her. She didn't particularly like any that she had seen so far, but her mother warned her that she had to choose a suitor soon, or one would be chosen for her.

She remembered the look on her father's face when her mother had said it. He didn't want to think about his little princess with some guy, especially one she didn't like. But he remembered when he had come of age, and wooed the hand of his wife.

Merida shook those thoughts from her mind as she walked out into the yard. Her eyes were dazzled as she watched the dancers. They moved so swiftly, with a deadly grace about them. They shot fire from their outstretched palms and toward the sky from their mouths. What a sight! She could only imagine how long they trained to be able to do that, and how experienced their magic level was. She grew more and more excited for the party to start. As she looked toward the sky, she saw that the dragon riders from Berk were arriving. The island of Berk was small, and they kept mainly to themselves. She wondered why they didn't like to mingle with the rest of the guardian world.

"Probably think they're too good fer us," she mumbled to herself. Well, at least most of them did. She happened to know a young dragon rider who was much more her style.

-break-

Hiccup saw the fire just outside the smoldering Volcano. The sun was setting, and the lights lit up the darkening sky.

"This way!" his father shouted. The direction-giving was unnecessary, but whatever made his dad feel better. He turned to his right and shot his older sister a look. She smiled and rolled her eyes.

"Perks of being chief," she shouted to him.

He nodded, and they began their descent.

"Whoa," he said, pulling back on the reigns. Toothless landed gracefully with a padded thud. Hiccup patted the dragon on the head and dismounted, careful not to catch his prosthetic leg on the stirrups.

"Got it?" his sister asked.

"Ya, I'm fine," he said. "Thanks."

"C'mon, we'll be late!" she said, hurrying him on. He looked back. Snotlout, Fishlegs, and the rest of the gang were still in the sky.

"They'll get here soon enough," she said, pulling him forward. "There's someone I want you to meet!"

Hiccup sighed. "Fine, fine." Astrid rarely included him with her other friends, and he didn't want to miss out on the chance to bond with his sister. After all, it was family disagreement that had gotten his father into cheifhood anyways. Berk was at one time a monarchy, but the four brothers that had ruled did not get along. Or, rather, just the one. He wanted all of the power for himself, and so naturally an all-out war started. The once great island of Berk was whittled away until it was just a small outcropping, and his father had risen from the ashes as a war hero. The small group of people remaining voted him in as chief, and so the democratic monarchy began. His eldest child would do battle with the other contenders when they came of age, and the winner would be ruler- if the greater population agreed. This means that the contenders had to be not only physically strong, but also popular among the people. He knew his sister was a shoo-in for chief when she went into battle next year. She was both strong and well-liked.

As she hurried him along, dodging caterers and fire-breathers, he spotted the throne approaching. What on earth was she doing? They came up to the throne and bowed.

"Your highnesses," Astrid began. "Might I inquire the whereabouts of the princess?"

The king laughed and replied, "No need to be so official, Astrid. She's out admirin' the fire show. Should be in any minute now."

Astrid smiled and thanked him, pulling Hiccup along with her back outside. His mind was reeling. She knew the princess here? Was this the new friend he was to be introduced to? He was definitely afraid- people from Dun'Broch weren't known for their patient or kind nature.

Then again, he thought to himself, neither were people from Berk.


	2. Chapter 2

**Blacklight**

**Chapter 2**

The Nightmare King smiled as darkness descended upon the land. He chose one of his nightmares and saddled up, heading towards his gift-giver. When he arrived at the spot that had shown on his map only hours ago, he became confused. Perhaps this was some sort of trick- there was no one around. He almost gave up when a small flower caught his eye. It had a dark red glow about it. Upon closer examination, he noticed a hidden doorway in the ground. He dismounted from the horse and leaned down, knocking on the door.

Gothel heard a soft rap at the door and smiled. "Well here he is!" she exclaimed. She fluffed her hair and smoothed her dress, then opened the door. "Welcome, Your Highness," she said sweetly.

"Miss Gothel," he replied.

"I assume you received my message?" she asked.

"Of course," he said. "You did not go into much detail…" he prompted her.

"Ah, yes, the secret weapon that will aid in the destruction of the guardians- you do like to get right down to business, don't you?"

"Well, I don't meant to be rude, but I do have a busy night ahead."

"Of course, of course," she replied. "But first…"

"Ah yes, the agreement." Pitch pulled a document of indestructible paper out of his cloak and handed it to her. She read it quickly. Satisfied, she smiled and nodded.

He took the paper from her, signed it, and handed it back. "A small price to pay," he added, "for what you are giving me."

He was very pushy. Gothel wished that he had said something about how she looked, but beggars can't be choosers. At least now that the brat will be out of the way she can venture out into the world. With the Nightmare King's protection, she thought to herself, patting the paper he had given her. Without a word, she opened the large wooden door that separated Rapunzel's room from the rest of the house.

Pitch leaned in, eyes adjusting to the darkness. When everything came into focus, he almost laughed. "What is this?" he asked. He didn't know whether or not he should be outraged.

"Ah ah," she warned. "Don't be so hasty. You haven't seen the best part." She pulled on the chains and Rapunzel came stumbling out of her room, a small satchel around her waist. She was gagged, and could barely move with the chains attached.

"The best part…?" he asked.

Gothel winked and removed Rapunzel's gag. "Why don't you sing for our guest, dear?"

Rapunzel looked at the strange man nervously. Her mother prodded her again, and she took a deep breath.

"Flower, gleam and glow,

Let your powers shine,

Make the clock reverse,

Bring back what once was mine…"

Pitch's eyes widened as she continued the song. Her hair was glowing! When she finished, she looked a bit stronger and healthier than before. Still, he could not see how a glowing girl would benefit him.

"I don't understand…" he began.

"She will provide strength, power, and healing for your dark army," Gothel replied. Or at least, she hoped. She'd studied up on this sort of thing, and so far her data pointed to yes.

"And what happens when she dies?" he asked.

"She is an immortal," Gothel said. Rapunzel looked shocked. How had mother known this? Why didn't she herself know?

"Does that mean-"

"Yes," Gothel replied to Pitch's unspoken question. "From Corona," she added.

"Corona? Then that means you…?"

"Yes, it was I. I had no idea what I was getting into at the time, but I'm very glad I did what I did."

"As am I," Pitch replied, sizing up the young woman in a new light. "How old?"

"Almost of age to rule," Gothel replied.

"Perfect," the Nightmare King snarled. He opened the door to the outside world and whistled for another nightmare to arrive.

"Have fun," she said as she handed him the end of Rapunzel's chain.

The blonde had to say, she wasn't exactly all that sad to see her mother go. She looked to her new captor, and wondered if he would be as bad as the old hag. She didn't say a word, however. She felt, for the first time in her life, that she wasn't very afraid. There wasn't much he could do to her to scare her. She had already seen the love of her life die right before her eyes, and had been treated terribly by her mother her entire life. What more did she have to lose?

Pitch Black grabbed the reigns of the second nightmare when it arrived and tapped its back. The dark horse leaned down and he helped Rapunzel onto it. He wrapped the chains around the neck of the beast and whispered in its ear, "Stay close."

He mounted his own and began the trip back to his lair. When they arrived, he once again helped the golden-haired girl off of the horse. Although her gag was removed, she said nothing, not even bothering to thank him. He took the end of her chain and led her into his underground lair, a careful eye on her in case she tried to escape. He was beginning to become nervous. Usually, people in bondage were afraid. This girl, however, seemed to be indifferent. Why wasn't she cowering in fear? Was he losing his touch? Certainly the Nightmare King was a terror-filled sight.

He realized that he had no accommodations for a guest. He did have a few cells for prisoners, so he led her into one of them. He latched the chain onto the wall and walked out of the cell, shutting the door. The blonde lay down on the cold floor and did not so much as wince while rats sniffed at her and walked around in her hair. With a small pang of- something, he really wasn't sure what- he walked away.

-break-

"Wait, so you mean to tell me that you know the princess here? The _princess_?" Hiccup asked, shocked. Astrid only smiled.

"Of course! She and I became good friends a little while back."

"Ahh, Ah remember it like it was yesterday," the redhead interrupted. The three of them were sitting at a smaller table while their parents discussed politics and such a few tables over. "Astrid here fell out o' the sky an' landed right in tha middle of tha hot springs."

Astrid laughed, remembering. "I was completely helpless until Merida showed up. She and I almost killed each other."

Hiccup's eyes widened in fear. "You _what_?"

"Ah thought she was attackin' tha kingdom," the redhead replied.

"And I was just defending myself," Astrid cut in. "Luckily Merida figured that out, and voila! We parted as unlikely friends."

"Well, that's good, I guess," Hiccup replied. He was glad that there were no hard feelings. It was unusual for Berk to have any allies or foes, other than in trade of course. As he watched his sister joke around with the fire princess, he saw the future of the guardian world get a little brighter. Perhaps they could strike up an agreement when they both rose to power. He was startled out of his thoughts when the queen stood and clinked her glass.

"Attention, attention," she began. All eyes turned to her. "I would first like to thank all of yoo for attendin' tonight." To this, many voices rose in celebration.

"Now, now, calm down. I would also like to announce that my daughter's coronation will be a year from today." Voices whispered among each other, excitement going through the crowd.

"On that day," she continued, "Princess Merida will choose a suitor to marry."

The Queen sat back down and attention went back to the food. The conversation, however, centered on this new announcement.

"Ugh, mum…" Merida sighed.

"I take it you haven't found any luck?" Astrid asked the princess.

"No, not yet," she replied.

After the feast was finished, the adults went into the main hall to visit. "So…" Astrid began.

"Yes?" Merida asked.

"Can you show me and Hiccup the fire stuff?" she asked, a gleam in her eye.

Merida smirked and held out her hand, a small flame appearing just above her palm. Before she had a chance to do much else, three fire-balls flew in and around the group.

"BOYS!" Merida shouted. The fire disintegrated and the red-haired triplets fell to the ground, giggling.

"Ah, tha's better," she said. "Now, for some _real_ magic…"

Hiccup watched in awe as the fire princess twirled the sparks and flames around. They danced above her head and illustrated as the told the story of Corona.

"Once, there was a great an' powerful city called Corona," she began. Hiccup and Astrid sat down on the pillowed floor, watching intently as a fiery castle materialized above Merida's head.

"Tha king and queen were mortal humans, until tha queen became very ill. Tha people loved her dearly, and went out en search of tha mystical flower of sunlight…" Her brothers joined the two dragon-riders. They had heard the story a million times before, but their eyes were glued to the fiery image of a flower over their sister's head.

"When they finally found it, they brought it back, and it both healed an' cursed tha poor woman. She survived, but now she was immortal. She had one child before her husband died- the lost princess."

"Why was the princess lo-" Astrid began. Hiccup cut her off.

"Shh!"

Merida continued. "An evil sorceress wanted the flower ta bring herself immortality, so she kidnapped the child. She was never seen again." The room went dark as Merida's fire dissipated.

Hiccup thought for a moment. "What about the queen? I thought she was immortal…?"

The room was dimly lit for a moment as Merida held a single flame in front of her face. "Legend says that on the darkest nights, yoo can see a beautiful figure of light callin' out, searchin' for her lost daughter…"

Both Astrid and Hiccup got shivers down their spines. "What a creepy story," Astrid remarked.

"Aye, but it's true," Merida said. The boys had left after smelling the sugary treats that were being served in the next room.

The fire princess and the dragon-riders left to join the others. As Hiccup walked on, he couldn't help but wonder about the lost princess of light. Surely she was still alive. After all, she was an immortal- not only that, but a chosen guardian as well. Then again, the sorceress was evil. He was sure one of them was dead by now. The real question was which one?

-break-

North's mug clinked with the fire king's. "You definitely know how to throw party," the Russian man remarked.

"Anythin' fer a gatherin' of friends," the large man replied.

Elsa simply smiled politely. She sat with the adults, as she always did for these sorts of occasions. _Hide what you feel_, she had always told herself. If she was to be the next ice queen, she needed to know how to rule. Doing so meant that she stayed with the adults. She had come to be very close with the queen, especially after her mother's death.

Thinking of them made her face fall yet again, and the queen noticed.

"Why don't ya go on and find mah daughter?" she asked. "A'm sure she's gettin' herself inta trouble."

Elsa looked over at the woman and smiled. "Sure, I'll go find her. Want me to tell her anything?"

"Nah, jus' see what she's up to. Ah'm sure she's off playin' with the dragon-rider, Astrid. Maybe yoo could hang with them fer a bit? I'm sure they'd love the company."

Elsa hid her distaste at the suggestion. Merida was always so…fiery. And unpredictable. She got up reluctantly from the table and went to find her counterpart. "She will be the queen," she muttered to herself. "I'd better make sure our kingdoms are set on good terms…"

Before she had the chance to find Merida, however, a familiar tune caught her ears. It couldn't be…

She looked up, trying to decipher where it was coming from. She found a small outcropping in the nearby forest area, where her eyes settled on a familiar sight. "Kris?" she asked, incredulous. How had he gotten here?

"Shh…"

He got closer to the black dragon that was eyeing him suspiciously.

"What on earth…"

She kept her voice down so not to startle the beast. Her hands were at the ready, however, in case Kristoff needed any help. He was one of the servants in their castle, but she always saw him as a friend. After all, she was lonely after Jack died. She needed someone to pal around with. Kris had been there for her, and sort of took over the role of older sibling. He must have stowed away when she and her father came to visit Dun'Broch for the party. It was held every year on the firstborn's birthday, and so it would continue until Merida had her own child.

Elsa was startled out of her thoughts when Kristoff patted the dragon on the head. It looked up at him, annoyed, and turned away. He walked slowly over to where the ice princess stood.

"I touched it!" he squealed with delight.

"So I saw," she replied cooly. "I'm surprised it didn't bite your hand off."

"Aww Elsa, don't be so mean! You're just jealous because _you_ didn't touch it."

"You got me," she said, holding her arms up in surrender.

The two laughed and sat down by a small rock formation. Elsa's fulfillment of the queen's request was forgotten as they talked the night away under the stars.

Deep below the earth, a golden-haired girl laid on a cold, hard floor. It had been hours since her new master had brought her there, and her stomach was beginning to grumble. Almost on cue, Pitch opened the door.

"I suppose you'll be hungry then?" he asked her brusquely. "Or do you need to eat?"

Rapunzel looked up at him, her face unreadable. "I would like something, yes."

He set the bowl of greasy rat meat down near her. It smelled repulsive, but Rapunzel was starving. She snatched the bowl up before any of the other rats could get to it and slowly tasted the meat. It wasn't that bad if she held her nose. She continued until her stomach was full.

Pitch slowly closed the door. What a delight to have the light princess under his control- and the best part was that she had no idea who she was or what sort of power she wielded.


	3. Chapter 3

**Blacklight**

**Chapter 3**

"Hey, how did you get here anyways?" Elsa asked. She and Kristoff were sitting on the ground by a circle of rocks, leaning back on their hands and staring up into the sky.

"Oh, I tagged along," he teased.

"But how? Dad checked the entire ship twice to make sure we had everything. I'm sure he would have seen you." She looked him over once more- he was stocky, but in a tall, muscular way. She doubted he would be very good at hiding.

"A magician never tells his secrets," he said with a wink.

She smiled and shook her head. She was glad, however, that he managed to come along. She had been feeling very lonely lately, and hadn't seen him in a while. Her face fell slightly as she recalled the past few weeks. Kris picked up on the change and looked down, unsure of what to do.

"So, um, the castle's been looking nice," he said. He winced at his own failed attempt at conversation.

"Thanks," she said. "Dad and I have been getting it ready for the ceremony."

It was quite a coincidence, really. It seemed as though all of the princes and princesses had been born within the same three months, separated only by a few years. Princess Merida would be coming of age to rule next year as well as the dragon-rider, Astrid. Elsa had been born a year before the two, but only a few weeks after. Her coronation was coming up soon, and she was extremely nervous.

"You'll do fine," he said, reading her mind. "You know how everyone loves you."

She almost laughed, but was too nervous. "How can everyone love me? No one even knows me. I don't know how to rule, I barely know how to fight. What if the nightmares attack again?" tears had welled up in her eyes at this point, and her voice was shaking. "How can I defend the entire kingdom? I couldn't even-"

She couldn't finish the sentence. Kris scooted closer to her and put his arm around her. She laid her head on his chest and cried silently.

"There's nothing you could have done then, Elsa. You can't keep blaming yourself."

"That's what Dad keeps saying."

He lifted her chin and looked into her eyes. "But you have grown so strong since then. If the time comes, and I mean _if_, you will be able to handle it. I know you will."

She managed a small smile and laid her head back onto his shoulder. "Thank you," she whispered.

He smiled back and looked up to the stars once more. It was highly unlikely that Pitch would strike with that much force again. The Nightmare King had been driven down deep into the dark recesses of the earth. His army had been greatly defeated, and he had barely escaped with his life.

_Not before he took a few himself_, Kris thought. He looked back at Elsa and tried to imagine the pain she had gone through. He hadn't known his real parents, so he couldn't really miss them much, and he didn't have any siblings. Except for Elsa, of course. She was like a little sister to him, and he would do anything in his power to keep her safe.

On the other side of the Volcano, Merida, Astrid, and Hiccup were talking. Merida held a flame in the palm of her hand, lighting the way as the three walked around.

"It's definitely my favorite thing to do," Astrid said in response to Merida's inquiries on dragon riding.

"Ah bet et's a lot like ridin' Angus," she said. Hiccup looked at her, confused. "Mah horse," she specified.

"Well, would you like to see for yourself?" Astrid asked. Merida shrugged. She kept eyeing Hiccup, as if there was something she wanted to ask, but didn't feel comfortable bringing up. He recognized the look and smiled.

"Yes, I can still fly, even with the prosthetic," he answered her silent question. She looked away, unnerved that he could read her thoughts. "It's okay, I get it a lot," he said. "You know, Toothless has a prosthetic too," he added.

"Toothless?" Merida asked, dumbfounded.

"My dragon," he corrected himself.

"An' he can fly with a fake wing?"

"Actually, it's more like half his tail," Hiccup replied. "Would you like to see?"

"Sure," the fire princess replied. She was always up for adventure whenever there was one to be had. She would definitely love to try riding a dragon, but she wasn't sure if she trusted this Toothless creature…

-break-

Pitch studied the globe in the center of his lair. True, his army was the lowest it had ever been, but he was slowly rebuilding. And hopefully this new weapon he had managed to get his hands on would help double his efforts. His thoughts went to the blonde girl he held in his dungeon. What sort of powers did she hold? Obviously she could heal, which will be most effective in battle. But could she give the nightmares more power? He usually relied on the power of fear to win a battle. This tactic was beginning to fade, though. He had noticed it the last time he went into battle, back at the Ice Palace of Arandelle. Sure, if he surprised them good enough, they would be afraid. This would help build up his power. His favorite part was when he was winning, and his victims felt complete helplessness- oh, how he would lap up their darkest fears then! But it always seemed to work out that, right after that moment, they would give up hope and decided to get all brave and just fight to the death. Once they had accepted that they were going to lose, they no longer feared him, and his power was slowly drained. The only thing that had kept him alive was the little girl, the ice princess. She had been trapped inside of thick, impenetrable ice, so he couldn't get to her- but for that he was thankful. If he had killed her too, he would have lost his power entirely- she was the last one who feared him. And even to this day, the little bit of fear she had for him every day slowly helped him rebuild. He would be sure to mention the beautiful irony to her when he saw her again.

He was pulled from his thoughts when he remembered that he needed an army to go back to the surface again. He called for his wounded nightmares and they followed him to the dungeons.

Rapunzel sat against the corner in her cramped, dank cell. She leaned her head back, her eyes closed, and hummed softly to herself. All in all, she felt trapped. Not just physically, though. No, there was much more than a locked door keeping her down. Even if she did escape, she would always be running. She couldn't just cut off her hair- it would still continue to hold power. And as long as she had that power, he and others like him would search for her. Perhaps, if she got away and stayed hidden for long enough, she would be reduced to rumors and folklore. But, being immortal, she couldn't even die if she wanted to. And someone, like her mother, was bound to find her and exploit her once again. She felt complete and utter hopelessness- she was doomed to run for the rest of her life.

She was looked up when the sound of footsteps approached, and she saw her new captor through the barred door.

"Time to rise and shine," he said mockingly. She sighed and stood up, the chains rattling around her.

"Are these really necessary?" she asked dryly.

Pitch frowned. She wasn't scared at all- if anything, she looked bored. He scowled, but removed the chains anyway. He knew she wouldn't go anywhere. He had guards at every possible exit in his lair. Also, he had noticed that she had a particular feel about her. He was able to sense that she was in his dungeon, and would probably be able to sense if she left. Her aura was sweet, in a tart way. Getting this close to her, the scent and taste were overpowering, and he thought for a moment that he might throw up. Yes, better to keep her locked up down here, where she wouldn't get into trouble.

He stopped himself, shaking his head. The ice princess's coronation was in a few weeks. He didn't have time for pettiness. "Come with me," he ordered.

She followed, and the two ascended the spiraling staircase to the main room. Here he had called all of the sick and wounded nightmares he had. She looked with faint curiosity at the beasts, which approached her and sniffed at her face and hair. She almost smiled.

"Alright, work the magic. They need to be at their best for-" he stopped himself. Why tell her more than she needed to know? "They need to be at their best."

Rapunzel said nothing. She only wrapped her hair around the neck of one, then another, until she had a string of about five tangled in her hair. She began to sing, and her hair glowed a brilliant golden light. Pitch watched carefully as each of the nightmares were healed. Not only were their wounds gone, but they looked stronger and more healthy than before.

"Yes, yes!" he cried. "Good, this will work out perfectly. Take care of the rest," he told the girl. It was odd, but the more he saw her, the more he thought of her as a human instead of a weapon. _Perhaps it's that sickening-sweet aura of hers_, he thought to himself. He rolled his eyes and walked into another room, calling out to the rest of his fleet. They would all need some refreshing.


	4. Chapter 4

**Blacklight**

**Chapter 4**

"AAAAHHHHH!"

The screams of the fire princess were caught by the wind that whipped through her hair and were then tossed back at her. When the initial fear wore off, she opened her eyes and looked around her. She saw the stars more brightly than she could have ever imagined as she held tightly onto Hiccup's torso.

"Don't worry, I'm not gonna let you fall!" he called back to her. She was squeezing him so tight that he could barely breathe.

Merida relaxed her grip, her eyes still on the sky that surrounded them. Over to her right, Astrid did a loop-de-loop. The sight was both exhilarating and nauseating at the same time. Feeling brave, the young fire princess held her left hand out to her side and let sparks fall from her fingers like dust. She smiled to herself, then shot out a more full-bodied flame. The fire created a streak in the sky and it rose and fell with Toothless's flight.

Kristoff gasped, then shook Elsa softly. "Look," he said, pointing at the sky.

"Wow, that's beautiful!" the ice princess exclaimed. The fire snaked around the clouds and lit up the otherwise black sky. She focused on a nearby cloud with a small amount of energy.

Merida shivered as a coldness fell upon her. "Is et always this cold up here?" she asked her new friend.

"Not usually…" Hiccup replied. Before he could offer an explanation, a tiny drop of snow fell on his nose. The two looked up to see a gentle flurry of intricate snowflakes.

"Wha' tha…?"

Astrid flew quickly by the two, hurling a snowball at her brother.

"Hey!" he shouted. He was about to return fire when Toothless shuddered and gave him a look. _Poor thing,_ he thought to himself. "We'd better get down where it's warme-"

He cut himself off as he tried to dodge yet another of his sister's ammunition. But Merida had acted fast, and shot out a line of heat to melt the snow. It fell slowly to the ground as water.

Kristoff laughed as he saw the two dragon-riders weave in and out of the sky, throwing snowballs at each other. Their laughter echoed off the clouds and down to where he and the ice princess sat.

"That'll give them something to do," Elsa said with a smile.

"Yes, your snow days are by far the best!" Kris answered, giving her a friendly wink.

"What do you- wait, you mean you can tell a difference?"

"Yeah! Your dad's are rigid and icy. But yours are softer and fluffier," he said. "They are my favorites, at least."

Elsa smiled, blushing slightly. She didn't realize how different the two could be, but she guessed that each one of her family members had a distinct signature. She tried not to think of her brother, focusing instead on the fun that was being had miles above them.

-break-

Rapunzel was nearing exhaustion when she finished healing the very last of Pitch's army of nightmares. She slumped over. Never had she felt so drained! But then again, she had never used so much of her power in such a small amount of time.

"Good, good," the Nightmare King commended. "This will do very nicely."

She looked up at him, and he saw the dark circles under her eyes. If he looked closer, he could see that her eyes were a bit duller than before. Gothel had assured him that she was immortal, but what if she was wrong? What if she had lied to him, just to get his protection when he finally took over the guardian world? He snarled at the thought.

Without thinking, Rapunzel winced. She was accustomed to being hit after her mother snarled at her like that.

Pitch's eyes widened in surprise. He hadn't expected her to react that way. "No, no," he assured her. "I'm not going to hurt you. I was merely thinking…" he trailed off as he saw that she had relaxed a bit. She was still tense, though. Her back was slightly hunched.

_Probably from the dungeon floor,_ he thought to himself. As much as her aura nauseated him, he didn't really want her to be in pain like that.

"Here," he said, a little more gently this time. "You did very well." He looked around at his army, satisfied with her work. "Why don't you sleep here for a bit?" He led her into his private chambers to a large yet slightly broken queen sized bed.

Rapunzel looked up at him, confusion written on her face.

"I am a creature of the night," he assured her. "I don't sleep unless I've been drained."

The blonde shrugged, not wanting to turn down the offer of a good night's sleep, and curled up under the sheets. It was still very cold, but it was much better than the hard stone floor. He walked slowly toward the door, turning back once more before exiting the room. She had already fallen sound asleep the moment her head hit the pillow. Yet again, another feeling entered the pit of his stomach. It was…warm, and sort of fuzzy around the edges. It was uncomfortable at first, but as it settled in, he found that he rather enjoyed it. He closed the door softly and walked back to the center of his lair, planning the next attack.

-break-

Mother Gothel gathered the rest of her belongings up in a burlap bag. She folded up the paper that the Nightmare King had given her. She had her doubts on whether or not he would actually take over, but it was nice to know that she could wander under protection if he did. She slowly lifted the trap door and walked out into the warm night air. She closed the door, locked it, then set the fake bush she had made over the hidden entrance to hide it. She liked knowing that there was a place she could hide, just in case the situation called for it.

She walked slowly down the beaten path that ran through the ruins of Corona. After the kingdom had fallen, looters had come by and ransacked the place. But she wasn't looking for gold- no, she had something far more valuable. She turned as she heard footsteps, cloaking herself with an invisibility spell out of habit. As she strained her hearing, a bright light nearly blinded her.

"Rapunzel…"

She shook her head. Had she really just heard- no, she must be hearing things.

"Rapunzel…"

As her eyes adjusted to the light, she saw the figure of a woman. She had no defined features, and almost looked like she was made of glass- golden, shining glass. The woman walked around slowly, as if the movement pained her. She turned her blank face to the spot where Gothel stood. The witch just stood there, shaking. The woman of light turned and walked on, calling out the name of her daughter.

As she turned the corner, Gothel let out the breath she had been holding. So, the rumors were true- the Queen was still alive, and still searching for her daughter. She shook her head, not believing what she had just seen. A woman made of pure sunlight. _No wonder it is so warm here at night,_ the witch thought to herself. She was grateful for her instincts, for she had no idea if the Queen would have recognized her or not.

She sighed, thinking back on that day. Why was it that the very thing she had wanted so badly- immortality- had just been given to another? She had worked countless hours, trying spell after spell, dedicating her entire life to finding the cure for death. And the one person in the world she despised the most got it for free.

_It figures,_ she thought with venom, _my little sister gets everything she wants._


	5. Chapter 5

**Blacklight**

**Chapter 5**

When Rapunzel awoke, she was thoroughly confused. She looked around the small room she was in. It was cold and dark, and she was lying in a large yet slightly broken bed. She heard a whinnying outside the door, and the memories came back- her mother, selling her to the Nightmare King; sleeping on the cold, hard floor of the dungeon; healing the army of nightmares; and finally, arriving here. Oddly enough, Pitch Black had offered her his own room. She honestly had no idea why. He had been perfectly fine with her sleeping in the dungeon yesterday. Perhaps he was afraid that she would be stolen away…

Her face suddenly dropped as she realized that there was no one who would rescue her. The only person who knew she was here other than Pitch is the one that sold her. Flynn was dead. She was doomed to stay there forever, unless she tried to break out. However, she had already gone through that scenario in her head. There was nowhere she could be that would be safe. There was a knock on the door, and she looked up, startled.

Pitch opened the door and peered inside. "Umm, hello," he said, unsure of himself. He didn't know how to address her. She looked up at him and cleared her emotional pallet. She did not want to give the Nightmare King any more power over her, so she had to stay unafraid. He cleared his throat and stepped through the doorway, turning on the bedside lamp.

"Hello," she replied. Her voice was small, and cracked when she spoke. She looked away, embarrassed.

"Are you…hungry?"

She looked back to him, and some of her fire returned. If she was going to stay here for the rest of her life, she would just have to make the best of it. After all, he seemed like he was trying to accommodate her- more than her own mother, anyways. She lifted her chin and spoke confidently.

"I don't like rat meat."

Pitch was not expecting this. He cocked an eyebrow, re-evaluating his prisoner. Something had changed behind her eyes. He began to wonder if she was going to be a handful to take care of…

"I want to cook my own meals."

His ears perked up. What was this? She wasn't going to demand that he work for her? Interesting.

"Is there a kitchen in this place?"

-break-

It was noon when Merida finally awoke, snug and comfy in her bed. She looked out the window and smiled. Since the party, all she could think about was flying. She loved it! Especially when it had started to snow. She knew full well snow didn't happen in the kingdom of Dun'Broch, so she had a special thank-you letter prepared for Princess Elsa.

Speaking of royalty, she was expecting someone! Princess Astrid would be arriving shortly to take her out flying again. Merida got out of bed and hurried to the washroom to clean up. She couldn't wait to touch the sky once more. Where would they go? Perhaps they could visit Arandelle… The fire princess shook that thought from her mind. As much as she enjoyed the occasional snow, she didn't like the cold very much in general. Berk would be a fun place to explore, but it was a small island. Merida continued brainstorming as she brushed her teeth and raked what she could of her comb through her unruly hair.

When Astrid arrived at Dun'Broch, she was feeling lighter than air. Her brother by her side, the two dragon-riders made their way to Princess Merida's chambers. The Queen had greeted them at the gate and waved them on to her daughter's company. Why hadn't they befriended the fire princess earlier? She was a ton of fun to be around and a great sparring partner. Astrid recalled the past few months. Merida was becoming one of her closest friends besides her own brother. She looked over at Hiccup, who mirrored her excited smile.

"Where do you think we should go?" he asked.

"I dunno," Astrid replied. "I guess it depends on what Merida wants to do. We've already explored the most exciting parts of Berk…maybe we could go to Arandelle?"

Hiccup frowned slightly, looking down at his apparel. "I didn't dress for cold, but I'll bet King North wouldn't mind sharing some cloaks." He smiled as he remembered the first time he and his father had flown into Arandelle. North was a large man, a bit scary on the surface, but only outsiders knew him as such. His closest friends knew his true identity- a large man with a large heart.

He was distracted from his thoughts when Merida walked out of her room and down the corridor to greet them.

"Astrid! Hiccup! Nice ta see ya!"

"Merida!" Astrid shouted, pulling out her sword and taking on a defensive pose.

The fire princess smiled and unsheathed her own, engaging her friend in a mock battle that took the two of them all the way down the hall and into the dining area. Without skipping a beat, Merida reached over and grabbed an apple, chomping down between lunges and parries.

"Ye've gotten better," she said with her mouth full.

Astrid broke down laughing, her sword clattering to the ground. Hiccup rushed over, confused.

"Alright, alright," Merida said, trying not to chortle. "Time ta go! Ah can't _wait_ ta get up in tha air again!"

"Ah, ah, ah," Astrid cautioned. "Just wait until you see our little surprise."

She winked at Hiccup, who smiled knowingly. "We hope you like it," he added.

Merida's brows knitted together in confusion. Surprise? Perhaps they had found a new place to explore?

Nothing could have prepared the young princess for what she saw when she exited her home. Sitting on the lawn were not two, but _three_ dragons. The new dragon was a deep crimson with gold on the tips of its scales. It saw Merida and reared up, spreading its wings. The gold reflected the sun, and for a moment the dragon looked like it was on fire. Merida stood, breathless.

Astrid walked over and put a hand on her shoulder. "He's all yours."

Merida turned to face the blonde, her eyes wide as saucers. "Wha?"

"A gift from dad," Hiccup chimed in. "We told him how much you liked flying, and he agrees. He thought you should have him."

The dragon looked down at Merida with great interest. She held out her hand, and he leaned down, taking in her scent.

"What's his name?" she asked, still in awe.

"That's up to you, your highness," Hiccup replied.

Merida looked into the dragon's eyes, cocking her head to the side. For a moment, it was like she could hear what the beast was saying.

"Firethorne," she said.

Astrid shot her brother a look that said "that was quick". Hiccup only smiled. He knew what _that_ feeling was like. When you stared into the eyes of the beast and it _communicated_ with you. It was impossible to describe.

"Where to?" he asked. Merida turned with a wry smile on her face.

"Corona."

-break-

Elsa paced back and forth across the large dining chamber. On any ceremonious day it would have been filled with tables and people and food. But today, it was thankfully empty. The ice princess tightened her jaw subconsciously, her mind a million places at once. The walls echoes as her heels clacked on the polished floor, making the room seem even bigger. She stood still and looked up to the vaulted ceiling. Sometimes she wished the enormousness of the room would swallow her, and she could become nothing. The stress of her coronation was at hand, and it was hitting her harder than anything she could have ever known. She allowed herself to fall backwards, landing on the floor with an "oof".

"Elsa!" Kristoff had been watching her behind a cracked door, worrying about her. When she hit the ground, he was over her in two seconds flat.

"What happened? Are you alright? Can you hear me?"

Elsa rolled her eyes. "I'm _fine_."

Kristoff sat back on his heels and shook his head. "You are very much _not_ fine, Elsa. What you need is a little fun. You are stressing out WAY too much."

Elsa gave him a look so cold it sent chills down his spine. Yes, there was no doubt in his mind she had the potential to be a great leader, feared and loved by her people. But until she got past her own insecurities, she would never be successful.

"Come one, Elsa. Let's go play for a little bit. Take your mind off of everything. We could have a snowball fight, make an igloo, or snow cones…"

"…Or build a snowman?" Her voice wavered slightly. It was her and Jack's favorite thing to do as kids. Kristoff smiled warmly at her.

"Of course," he replied.

She smiled back and let him help her up. The two walked out into the glistening courtyards behind the castle. As much as she wanted to stay in and worry herself sick over her coronation day, a little bit of fun couldn't hurt. She was startled out of her thoughts when a snowball found its way to her head. Turning back with a mischievous grin, she formed some ammunition and hurled back in retaliation!

-break-

Gothel sat down at the bar and ordered herself a drink. So far the ruins of the great Corona only held vagrants and runaways. Ah, well. She would catch the next barge out. As she waited at the bar, she checked her ticket once more. Berk, hmm? The last she had heard of the great Berk tension was tight between the four princes. Judging by the reactions of the ticket seller she guessed they had either come to an agreement or fought it out. Either way, it was safe enough to travel to. She could have easily transported herself there, but she needed to conserve her energy. She had already wasted quite a bit turning all those berries into gold coins. How else would she have purchased a ticket out of there? The first vendor she had gone to had laughed at her when she handed him the "ancient" coins she carried around. It looked like quite a bit had changed.

"Hello there," a man's voice sounded to her left. She turned, putting on her most pleasant face.

"Hello," she replied. Her smile was tight, and the pleasantry seemed forced.

The man staring back at her was rather young, with light red hair. Behind him were two tall men, who looked to be twins, each wearing an eye patch. In fact, all three looked like they might be related, although it was obvious that the larger two were henchmen of some sort.

"And what might your name be?" his tone was dripping with honey, but she could see past it. She had used the tone herself so often. Her smile dropped, and she raised an eyebrow.

"Look buddy, I'm not interested. Go find yourself someone else to pester."

"Ah, a charming attitude to match the gorgeous figure- she's definitely the one." The two men behind him turned and looked at each other in disbelief.

"But, she's so…young?" the one on the left said.

"She's a sorceress, meat-head," the main guy scolded, turning around to glare at his cousin. As much as he loathed their company, he didn't have much of a choice. His father had thrown him out, and he was left with nothing. Seeking out the immortal magician was his only shot at gaining the power he so lavishly craved. When he turned back to Gothel, his face was just as sweet as ever.

Her mind was racing. Sorceress? How had they known? Or were they trying to pull her leg?

"Perhaps you three have had too much to drink. Although I do appreciate the compliment," she replied.

"Cut the crap, lady," the man said. "We know who you are. And we need your help."

"And who might _you_ be?"

"The name is Hans," the man replied with his most charming smile, "and we are prepared to pay whatever it is you require."

"Do you know who I am?"

"Of course- you are Gothel, the mighty sorceress who brought havoc and destruction to the kingdom of Corona so long ago. Though you haven't aged a day," he added suavely.

She knew he was just buttering her up, but he _did_ know her identity. How, she would have to figure out later. For now, it seemed like he wasn't going to leave until she agreed to help him. She smiled, imagining the three of them as slimy toads. Yes, she would agree- but only until they gave her what she needed.

"Alright then," she said, "it looks like I have found myself three lovely escorts to the island of Berk. Grab yourselves a ticket, boys."

Her tone insinuated that she would help them, but on her own terms. Hans sighed. Why did women have to be so picky? Turning to his cousins, he set a few golden coins in their outstretched palms. "Get us three to Berk," he ordered. Fine, he would play it her way. Berk wasn't too far out of his plans, anyways. He had wanted to be in Arandelle, but the princess's coronation wasn't for another few weeks. He turned back to the sorceress and sized her up. She was a relatively small woman, with raven hair that was normally covered by her crimson hood. She was so obviously out of place that it was a wonder she hadn't gotten curious stares. No one had worn that style of clothing in decades. She must have some place she hides herself away, only coming into town once every lifetime. He was _very_ glad that she had chosen today to reveal herself. He had almost given up hope.

-break-

Rapunzel hummed to herself as she cleaned. The place was dank and dim, but it would have to do. She stood up from where she had scrubbed the floor and sighed, wiping the sweat from her brow. Yes, it was definitely starting to look brighter. She turned as the dark fearlings that followed Pitch's every command stared at her with curiosity. She gave them a warm smile, and they took a few nervous steps back.

"Come on in," she coaxed. They leaned forward curiously, then scattered. She sighed, frowning slightly. Before she got a chance to get back to her tidying, the source of their fear stepped into the room.

The Nightmare King looked around at what the girl had been working on for the past couple of hours. It had taken him a little while, but once he had found the remnants of a kitchen in his lair, she had gotten straight to work. She stood before him, sweat dripping from her brow and dress covered in patches of dirt and soot. And yet, still he felt the odd warming sensation in the pit of his stomach. When her eyes met his, the ice that formed around his heart began to melt ever so slightly. He looked away, afraid that she might notice.

"Here," he said gruffly, handing her a large basket. She took it from him cautiously.

"What is it?"

"Just some things you might need," he said.

She set it down on the freshly wiped countertop and opened it up. Inside was some fresh fruit, a sack of flour and sugar, a chunk of cheese and a block of salt. She looked back up at him and gave one of her trademark smiles. "Thank you," she said. His eyes wouldn't meet hers.

"Where did you find all of this?"

He walked further into the room, surveying the cabinets and countertops. "I had some of my fearlings run some errands," he replied. "Will you be needing anything else?"

She finished putting away the flour, sugar, and salt. She opened up the small refrigerator and wrapped the cheese in cloth, setting it inside. "Perhaps some bowls, and silverware?" she requested.

He looked her up and down, realizing that she hadn't bathed in a while. He was glad he had demanded the fearlings also gather up some fresh clothing. "Follow me," he said. His voice wasn't forceful, nor was it requesting. She did as he said, nibbling on an apricot that had been in the basket.

He led her down an unfamiliar corridor. As they neared the end, she could hear what sounded like rushing water. He walked through a wooden door, and she saw the equivalent of an underground spring. On either side of the water were large floor-to-ceiling walls with grates near the bottom. It seemed as though that was how the water got in. Pitch lit a few of the torches lining the walls, and the reflection from the water lit the room up in no time. He winced. Why was it humans required such brightness? Shaking his head, he chided himself for being so thoughtless. She was the _princess_ of light, of course. Nevertheless, she hadn't complained about the darkness. When he turned to her once more, she was smiling again. What was it with this girl? She had been bound by chains only the day before, spending the night on the stone floor. She had been working herself to the bone taking care of his army and cleaning out the sorry excuse for a kitchen. What on earth could she have to smile about?

"What is this place?" she asked.

"A bathing room," he replied. A fearling stumbled in with a cloth bag. Rapunzel took the bag from the creature and smiled.

"Thank you," she said. The creature smiled back, then caught Pitch's glare and hurried out of the room. Rapunzel looked inside and saw a comb, a bar of soap, and a dress. She looked up at the Nightmare King, confused.

"Is this…for me?" she asked.

"Of course it's for you, do you think I would wear such a thing?!" he said, a bit harsher than he had meant. She looked away, and her smile faded. For some reason, seeing her like that brought about another emotion, but one he was more used to- sadness. "I'm sorry," he said quietly. "I didn't mean to shout. Here is where you can bathe, I trust it will be large enough for the seemingly unending hair you have," he continued, his voice flat. "You may report back to the main hall when you are finished for the second round of strengthening my army."

"Yes, your highness," she replied.

He walked out of the room before either could say anything else. What was going on? So many emotions, some foreign, some familiar. Why was this happening? Was it some sort of after effect from that glowing hair? He had definitely felt power ebbing from it when she was healing his army of nightmares. He made a mental note not to let her touch him with it. He didn't want to risk any sort of side effect, especially since Princess Elsa's coronation was so close at hand.

He turned back once more before turning to another corridor. His face became hot as she met his gaze. How had she known he was looking at her? Or had she been watching this entire time? Before he had a chance to sort the feeling out, he walked away. He needed some space to think.


	6. Chapter 6

**Blacklight**

**Chapter 6**

**Author's Note:**

**Thank you all for your wonderful reviews! I love hearing from you guys. :) **

Merida leaned her head back and let the wind flow through her hair. A small smile crossed her lips as she felt dewdrops on her face from the cloud she just went right through. She pulled herself back up and leaned down close to the dragon's neck, her mouth by his ear.

"Show me whatcha got," she whispered. Firethorne grumbled deep in his chest and banked upward, releasing a whirlwind of fire. She laughed, and her voice fell on his ears like strings of honey.

Toothless saddled up next to Firethorne, catching on to his friend's emotions, and shot out a bullet of blue fire upwards into the clouds. Hiccup grasped him tightly, turning toward Merida to see what the fuss was about.

"Look, look! I can see it!"

Hiccup and Merida leaned forward as Astrid called out to them. She had taken the lead, since she knew the skies better than either of them. Hiccup had only been to Arandelle and Dun'Broch via dragon, and while he knew the general direction of Corona, he himself had never been.

As they approached the spring-like forests that surrounded the fallen kingdom, Astrid was taken back to when her father had brought her here only a few years before.

"Take a look around, Astrid," his voice echoed in her mind. "Look at where the path of violence can take even the brightest of kingdoms."

"What happened?" she had asked, her voice small. Seeing what used to be a thriving place of life turned into nothingness was frightening. It took the warm air from her lungs to see what Berk could have become.

"There was a dispute. The only heir to the throne had been kidnapped, and a kingdom needs a leader. Remember that, my princess. Without a leader, things fall apart. And at the same time, we can sit on our thrones and make our rules, but we only hold as much power as our people let us. The moment they stop following us, we are powerless. Our job as rulers is not to always have our way, but to protect the lives of our people, no matter the cost."

His words were humbling, and she knew why he had taken her here. She needed to know the responsibilities that entailed ruling a kingdom. He was giving her a chance to pass it up, to give the title to her brother or another challenger in Berk. He was giving her a _choice_.

"Then that means that we need our people, just as they need us," she replied. Her face set in determination, she met his eyes. "I will protect them," she said, her voice hard as stone.

His proud smile faded from her mind as the three touched down on the soft earth.

-break-

Kristoff loved to hear her laugh. He ducked back down behind a fallen branch, stockpiling his snowball brigade. When things got quiet, he began to sweat. Where was she? He was afraid to look up, for fear of meeting face to face with sudden slush. He spared a glance, preparing for the worst, and blinked in surprise. Nothing. Perhaps one of her tricks, to get him to come out of hiding? Well, he wouldn't be so gullible.

When her scream met his ears, he dropped the snow he had been gathering and ran to her side.

"Kris! KRIIIIS!"

"Elsa! Where are you?!"

"Over here! By the lake! Look!"

He ran to her side and saw the look on her face. She was afraid, but there was a spark of curious excitement in her eyes.

"I think he's still alive!"

Kristoff looked down into the solid ice that the lake had become. Peering through the snow that covered it, he could see a man's face. The blonde wiped away more of the snow to reveal more of the man. He was dressed in odd clothing, that was for sure. He had dark brown hair, and a light goatee to match. There was a large spot of brown on his right side, and it looked to be a bloodstain.

"Elsa, if he can be revived, we still might not be able to save him," he said, pointing to the spot. "That's a lot of blood."

"Come on, let's get my father," she said. "He'll know what to do."

North had been signing official documents when his daughter rushed in. One look on her frantic face and he dropped everything he was doing.

"What is it? What has happened?"

Kristoff was by her side and he explained about the man in the ice. North put on his hat and cloak and started moving down the hallway. "Get ice block maker," he said to the blonde. Kristoff nodded and grabbed the handsaw that the king kept in his office, following the large man out of the room. Elsa led the way, and in no time they were by the lake.

"How did this man get here?" North asked, his brows furrowed in a look that Elsa didn't recognize.

"I don't know, I just found him here," she replied.

He and Kristoff worked together and quickly sawed around the man, pulling him up in a block of ice. Kris had called for Sven, his reindeer buddy, and was glad he had done so. He and North loaded the man in ice onto his sled and they began the trek back to the castle.

"It's pretty close to the border," Elsa said. "He may have been trying to leave, or meet someone."

"Yes," her father replied, "but lake has been solid for decades."

Kristoff gave the stranger a second look. How old _was_ he? What was he doing in Arandelle, and how had he gotten here?

"He isn't exactly dressed for the cold," the blonde spoke up. "In fact, I don't think I've ever seen this style of clothing worn here, even in the warmer months."

Elsa re-examined the stranger. It seemed that they wouldn't be getting any answers until he thawed. She turned to her father. "I'll go on ahead and get a room ready. We'll need a fire, and a large basin for the melted ice."

North nodded and she hurried off, a mix of fear and excitement fueling her steps. Nothing like this had ever happened to her before! To find a stranger, and a foreign one by the looks of it, frozen in a lake! She couldn't wait to find out what secrets he held- she only hoped he'd survive the defrosting.

-break-

Rapunzel finished up brushing the last of her 70 feet of hair. It had air dried a few feet earlier, making the job much easier. Fearlings had been moving in and out of the large bathing chamber, bringing her anything she needed from a light snack to Pitch's orders. They spoke in a rather high-pitched voice for such threatening evil-doers, and they were rather difficult to understand at first, but before she knew it she was communicating with them as second nature. She was grateful for the new dress he had given her- it was made of much heavier material and the skirt was much longer than her sun dress. It was much colder here than where she had been before.

She pushed the thoughts of her former life behind as she made her way to the main chamber where she had healed the nightmares before. Pitch was waiting for her, and he turned when he heard her approach- and then immediately regretted it. She was a sight of regal beauty, even in the darker colors of her new dress. It seemed as though the darkness around her only highlighted her natural light. Her face was glowing and her smile was almost blinding. He turned away, the now-familiar feeling of warmth entering him once again.

"Welcome back," he managed, "I trust you found what you needed?"

"Yes," she replied, a bit more chipper than she had been the past few days. "I feel much better now."

"Good, then you won't mind my second request?"

Her eyes lifted to meet his, confused. "Is there something more you wish me to do?"

"After you finish with the nightmares, I was…wondering if you'd like to try out the new kitchen." He said gruffly. "I can't remember the last time I ate something, but it seems to give you energy, so I thought-"

"It would be a safer bet than the hair?" she said, cutting him off.

"DO NOT INTERRUPT ME!" he shouted at her. She stepped back, prepared to flee. He caught sight of her eyes and dropped his tensed shoulders. He had no problem keeping his fearlings in line, so why was she so different? Why was it that when he saw her face like that, he felt…something? He shouldn't be feeling _anything_. He was the NIGHTMARE KING for crying out loud. His gaze softened without his giving it permission to, and before he knew what he was doing two words left his mouth.

"I'm sorry."

He had actually apologized, something he had never done before. What was more insane was the nagging sensation that he actually _meant_ it. Before he had time to blow up again, he caught the look of relief in her eyes. Her entire stance changed- she relaxed, and gave another small smile. There was almost no hint of fear in her eyes. It was as if she trusted him, as if she felt somewhat safe in his presence. He didn't know how to handle that.

He was glad that she had turned away to begin strengthening the nightmares. He didn't want her to see him like this. He took one of his fearlings aside and gave the order for it to find something for her to cook, along with a list of things she might need, such as cooking oil, pots and pans, and silverware. He decided that the fearling should raid another store near the first one, so that the people would believe it was some sort of serial theft. He gave a small smile, thinking about the increased power he had felt when they had terrorized the town. He had considered telling the blonde girl that she had been the cause for such fear, but something had stopped him. He didn't know why, but he felt that she wouldn't want to hear it- more importantly, he didn't want her to feel responsible. What was happening to him? He spared another glance to the girl and shook his head. He would have to find out soon. For once, the king of darkness did not enjoy being in the dark.

-break-

Merida looked around the forest. "Why didja bring us here? Et's en the middle a nowhere."

Astrid rolled her eyes. "I don't think it would be very smart for three young heirs to walk around the streets of Corona just yet. After all, it's a dangerous place. Been that way since the fall."

Merida nodded her understanding, but was still a little disappointed. Hiccup walked around a rather large tree and looked up in awe. "Do you see the size of this?" he asked to no one in particular.

"They definitely don't make 'em like that in Berk," Astrid agreed. Merida walked in the opposite direction, seeming to follow something. Hiccup looked over to her and nudged his sister.

"Do you see that?" he asked her.

There were tiny blue wisps that seemed to form a line. Merida followed them, awe in her eyes. She was careful not to make any noise.

"Merida!" Hiccup called, but was immediately shushed by his fiery friend. So instead, the dragon-riders decided to follow her into the forest.

They came upon a large vine-covered rock face. Merida approached it, and the wisps seemed to stop there. She resisted the urge to set it aflame, knowing full well it could start a forest fire that she wouldn't be able to control. Reaching out, she went to set her palm on the cool rock surface- and fell right into the leaves.

"Merida!" both Hiccup and Astrid shouted, following her into the hidden passageway. As the rock cleared, they looked upward to see a very tall tower. When Hiccup caught sight of Merida, she had the raw look of adventure in her eyes. He caught on, his excitement growing.

"Here, take these!" the redhead shouted, tossing her friends two arrows each.

"What are these for?" Astrid asked.

"Just watch," she said. Her face set in determination, she broke the two arrows in half and used the pointed ends to climb up the tower. Astrid gave a grin and followed suit.

Hiccup wanted to join them, he really did. Looking down at his prosthetic leg, he realized that he wouldn't be able to. His mother's words came back to him.

"Don't think of all the things you _can't_ do, think of all the things you _can_."

He began to walk around the base of the tower, his mind racing. He had done too many algebraic equations to know that there was always more than one way to get to the right answer. More vines covered the bottom, and he began using the arrows to cut them away. Before he knew it, he had discovered a hidden door, rocks blocking the way. He began to work, slowly but carefully, to clear the way. When there was enough room for him to fit through, he climbed up the winding stairwell. He reached the top and saw a small sliver of light coming through a crack in the ceiling. Pushing upwards, he broke through- the floor.

Astrid and Merida lugged themselves over the window and crashed onto the tile. They were giggling, and their eyes widened when they came face to face with Hiccup.

"I win," he gloated.


	7. Chapter 7

**Blacklight**

**Chapter 7**

**Author's Note:**

**You guys are so amazing! I loooove hearing what you think about the story! Keep the reviews coming, you all are the reason I write! :)**

Pitch met Rapunzel's eyes, and his knees felt weak. She was staring at him with such intensity, he couldn't move. Her scent was sweet and intoxicating. What he once found unbearable he now realized he couldn't stand to go without. His focus narrowed in on her lips, full and pink. He had the overwhelming curiosity to know what they tasted like. He found the strength in his muscles to move forward, lost in the deep green pools that were her eyes, and his arms found their way around her tiny frame. Pulling her up to him, their lips locked in a small kiss. She was like a wild berry, sweet and tangy on his mouth. Her lips felt as soft as they looked. His heart beat faster, but as he pulled her closer, he felt resistance. He pulled back, and the look of sheer horror on her face broke what little of his heart he had left. She turned from him and bolted across the room, to the edges of his lair. He felt her presence dissipate, and he fell to his knees. His vision was blurred with tears, and his face felt hot.

Why was this happening? How could he have let himself become vulnerable like this? What was the great Nightmare King reduced to?

"Your highness?"

He looked up, but saw no one. He recognized her voice, and felt her presence stronger than ever. Had she come back? The look in his eyes was more hopeful than he would have liked.

"Your highness?!"

The voice was more frantic now. "Rapunzel?" he called out, seeking her. His pulse quickened. Had she gotten into some sort of trouble?

"PITCH!"

He awoke with a start, the blonde girl leaning over him. Her brow was furrowed with worry, and her eyes blazed a hole through him. She took the wet towel that was pressed at his forehead and wiped away the tears that had fallen down his face. His cheeks became hot once again as he realized that she was right here, tending to his needs like…well, like she cared about him.

"Are you alright?" Her voice flowed like honey, sweet and golden.

"Umm, I'm fine," he managed. "Just…had a bad dream." He got up from the bed, pushing her softly aside as he did so. How was it that he ended up here? He rarely slept… unless, of course, he needed energy. His thoughts reflected on the past few weeks, and he realized that the ice princess's coronation was in a couple of days. He gave Rapunzel another glance, not trusting himself enough to meet her gaze straight on. She had been very distracting these past weeks- he wasn't sure if the extra strength in his army was worth having the young princess here. After all, what was the point of building his forces if he missed the battle?

Rapunzel watched the dark lord as he pondered. She didn't know what was brooding behind his eyes, but she wasn't sure she liked it. He was using her power for something, and with how he had been looking lately she had a feeling the reason was coming up soon. She slowly placed her hand on his and stood, leading him into the dining area where she had prepared some food. The soft, warm touch of her hand startled him, and he followed her silently, afraid that any other move he made would cause her to let go.

They sat across from each other, nibbling at the oatmeal Rapunzel had prepared. It would have been rather bland, except for the bits of peach and apricot she had added. It was a little sweet for Pitch's taste, but it reminded him of her, so he didn't complain.

"..Can I ask you a question?"

Her voice was small, and he thought for a moment that he had imagined it. He looked up to see that she was making her way to sit by him.

"What is it?"

She sat down, her arms around herself. She was nervous. What if he shouted at her again? It was true that he had a better control of his temper of late, but what if she was out of line? She just _had_ to know why he was readying his army. She disliked death, and if he was planning to hurt someone…

"What are you going to do with your army?" she asked. Her question caught him off-guard, and the pained look in her eyes was almost more than he could bear.

"I'm, well, I…" he stumbled, "You see, Rapunzel, there is a land that exists above my own. In this land live thousands of families, thousands of children, and the reason I am still here is because some of them believe in me. If no one was left that feared me, I would be forgotten, destroyed…gone. I have to invoke fear every once and a while in order to ensure my existence."

Rapunzel worked through this information in her mind. He had to be believed in in order to stay alive? Was it the same for her? Why did he need to do such terrible things? That didn't seem fair.

She was quiet for a while, but she stayed next to him. He made a point to avoid looking at her, despite the fact that he wanted so badly to look into her eyes…

She finally spoke again, her voice stronger.

"Wait a minute; I believe in you," she said, turning to him. "And all you need is one, right?" Her smile lit up the room. Pitch found that his mouth had gone dry. Was she saying what he thought? That she would be willing to stay here with him and believe in him to keep him alive?

"But, don't you ever want to go back? To the surface?"

"Would you really give me up?" she countered. "And even if I did leave, I have no one to go to. Anyone I met would try to use my powers for their own gain. I have nowhere to call home."

His eyes narrowed. "You really don't know who you are, do you?"

~.~.~.

Astrid looked around the dusty room. The three had decided to explore and see what this tower was all about.

"Look over here!" Merida shouted, bringing the two to her. She was pointing at the floor, near where she and Astrid and entered.

"It looks like broken glass, and…bloodstains?" Hiccup remarked. It was hard to tell, the marks on the tile and some of the rug were dark brown.

"The mirror must've fallen," Astrid said. A piece of paper caught her eye, and she peered closer.

"Wha's that?" Merida asked, picking up on her friend's curiosity.

"Wanted, Flynn Rider…" she read aloud.

"Flynn Rider…I don't think I've heard of him," Hiccup said. "Do you think he could have done this?"

"The paper is old. I'm sure he's long gone by now."

"Ooh! Ef he's wanted, maybe this was his secret hideout!" Merida exclaimed.

Hiccup raised an eyebrow. "He was quite the artist, then." The last rays of the afternoon sun had illuminated the walls, which were filled with colorful paintings. "It seems like they're all of some girl."

"Ya, some blonde with a ton 'o hair," Merida scoffed.

Hiccup walked up the stairs and into what appeared to be the young woman's room. The word "Rapunzel" was painted in golden colors atop the main headboard of the bed. When the others joined him, they saw the look on his face.

"Rapunzel…isn't that…"

"The lost princess," Merida said, her eyes filled with wonder. "THIS is wha' tha wisps were bringin' us too! She must still be alive! We can find her!"

"But, the blood…"

The two turned to Hiccup. "The blood," he continued. "It couldn't have been hers. There's too much of it. She's immortal, remember? Her wounds would have healed far too quickly. That only means that it must belong to this Flynn guy. He must have been holding her here captive, and she found a way to escape."

"No, et was a witch that stole her," Merida corrected.

"What if he killed the witch?" Astrid challenged.

"What would _he_ want with a princess?" she argued back.

"A reward?"

They turned to the boy once again. "Yer a right genius," Merida praised. Hiccup flushed, unused to the fire princess's attention. There was something about the way she looked at him. He had noticed her a while back, the way she chewed her lower lip when she thought, and the gleam of adventure that never seemed to leave her eyes. He looked away. He very much doubted that she felt any inkling of the same for him.

"But, if he wanted the reward, he would have turned her in, right?" Astrid said, her voice a little smaller than usual. "I've heard so many stories about Corona. A few years ago my father took me to the ruins. He showed me what happens when a kingdom loses its ruler. It must have been painful for her to find out that her kingdom had fallen to shambles." She turned away from the group. "Whether it's a witch or this Flynn guy, I don't care. We need to find out who did this and make them pay."

"Are we… are we going to save a princess?" Hiccup asked, incredulous. Didn't that sort of thing only happen in fairytales?

Astrid turned to them, a look of determination on her face. "We're going to save a princess."

~.~.~.

"Please, you have to help me!"

Anna had been having a rotten day. First, she finds out that Sister Agatha is planning on making her stay in the Abbey for the rest of her life. On top of that, the other sisters won't do a blasted thing to help her escape.

"It's too dangerous dear, you should really stay here."

"You were brought to us for a reason, child."

"I'm sorry, but I can't help you disobey a direct order."

She rolled her eyes. The only reason she was brought there was because her mother couldn't afford to keep her. It wasn't her fault, wasn't her mother's fault, wasn't the Abbess's fault. But she was already eighteen, and she was ready for adventure. She ran her hand through her hair and fingered the small shock of white. Maybe there was more to her story than they were letting on. There had to be. She could feel it in her very bones.

The door she had been banging on finally opened, and a small woman with stark white hair and a large nose opened the door.

"What do you want?"

"I need your help."

"What can a woodcarver do to help you, lass?" The small blackbird on the woman's shoulder eyed Anna suspiciously.

"I need a spell."

The door slammed shut in her face, and she stepped back, shocked. Surely this was the right place.

"Hey!" she screamed. She looked around, realizing that she was getting the attention of the people around the town area. The door opened again sharply, just barely missing her face, and the woman dragged her inside.

"Fine, fine, FINE! Just calm yer horses. What do ye want?"

"I told you, I want a-"

"Sh, lass, keep yer voice low." She led Anna to the back of the store, to a small dark room. In the middle was a green, bubbling cauldron. Anna resisted the urge to gag at the smell. The woman beckoned her closer, examining her hair.

"So, you've been marked…"

"Excuse me?" Anna blinked in confusion, but inside she was celebrating. She _knew_ it wasn't just some genetic mishap, she _knew_ there was another reason!

"Marked, lass. You've got a lot more comin' to ya than you realize," she added, sensing Anna's excitement. "Here, take this," she commanded, giving her a small pouch. It was heavy with coins. She looked inside, furrowing her brow in confusion.

"I've never seen coins like these before," she said.

"They are from another world entirely," the woman replied, "and you are going to need them."

Anna grinned from ear to ear. "When do I go? What do I need to do?"

The old woman pulled out a small wooden tablet. The markings were different to the girl as well. "What does it say?" she asked.

"It is a prophecy."

Anna waiting patiently for the woman to continue.

"From this time a story is told,

To travel on to the land of old,

A child whose markings are sheer white,

Will bring back the sun in the dead of night."

Anna frowned again. What did the prophecy mean? Sheer white markings…well, the hair must be it, she guessed. But to bring back the sun? Did this 'land of old' stay in eternal darkness? She had to find out.

"How do I get there?"

"You're a feisty one," the which chuckled. "You have no idea what you're getting yourself in to."

Before Anna could reply or ask another question, a bright light filled the room. She shielded her eyes, only peering through when the light dissipated.

"Where-?"

All around her was nothing but darkness. As her eyes adjusted, she saw a large shadow around her. Looking up, the biggest bird she had ever seen was about to land- and right on top of her.

"AAAHHH!" she screamed, flinging herself out of the way. When she looked up, it wasn't a bird that landed. She gasped. Could it be? Didn't they only exist in stories?

"A dragon…" she breathed.


End file.
